1. Field
The present invention relates to wireless communication systems generally and specifically to scheduling data transmissions in a Global System for Mobile communications referred to as GSM.
2. Background
The Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) wireless telecommunications standard defines a set of widely available digital communications protocols for use within a digital wireless telephone system. The GSM specifications are developed by an international effort and adopted by the European Telecommunications Standard Institute (ETSI, 06921 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France). The General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is a set of new GSM bearer services that provides high-speed packet-mode transmission within the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and towards external networks. And, the Enhanced Data rates for a Global Evolution (EDGE) were introduced to improve circuit switch and packet switch GSM data services. At the time of inception of the GSM/GPRS/EDGE standard, which supports voice and high rate packet data services, the use of Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) within the GSM/GPRS/EDGE Over-The-Air (OTA) protocol increased the efficiency with which the given radio frequency bandwidth could be used to conduct wireless telephone calls. Even increasing services and demand require efficient ways of providing system resources to more and more data users. There is a need, therefore, to provide high speed data transmissions in a GSM/GPRS/EDGE environment.